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Flowers were definitely in my 'BIG THREE' when it came to planning my own wedding. Nothing makes a wedding outfit pop like a fabulous colour coordinated bouquet or buttonhole and a tablescape can go from a 2 to a 10 with the addition of some carefully curated arrangements.
Read on for our wedding florals top tips
Research
Before meeting with a florist, think about the style of flowers you'd like, your budget and the type of arrangements you'd like. Picking seasonal flowers will help keep costs down but if you have a particular vision in mind, make a note of the names of flowers you love. Don't worry- you won't be expected to be a qualified horticulturalist so before you start memorising the Latin names of every flower available in June, start by saving few ideas to your Instagram or Pinterest. You'll soon notice a trend in the types of things you like.
You want a florist that is reliable and will be able to make your vision come to life, so make sure you factor recommendations into your decision making process- other couples, friends, family and online reviews can help narrow down your options.
The final thing to consider while researching is your budget. You can expect to pay anywhere from £100 to £250 for a bridal bouquet, between £40-80 for a bridesmaid bouquet and around £10 per buttonhole. Ceremony flowers will vary depending on the size and location. Decide a realistic figure you'd be happy to commit to (typically 10% of the total budget) and your florist and wedding planner will work with you to get the most out of your budget.
Consider your venue
The type of venue you choose for your wedding will make a big difference when it comes planning your flowers. Our advice? Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Aisle flowers that double as top table decorations? Love it. Bridesmaid bouquets that become table centres? Perfect. Moveable milk churns which you can take to your reception venue... Okay, you get it. Plan carefully and you can reduce your budget without reducing the impact.
Get those bouquets out of water
When your flowers arrive on the day of the wedding, they'll arrive in water to keep them fresh. Set a reminder (or assign someone) to take your bouquets out of the water at least 30 minutes before you leave for the ceremony and give the stems a good squeeze with a towel. This will stop the stems dripping water onto your outfit. You don’t want to be blowdrying watermarks off your dress right before the ceremony!
Don't forget your buttonholes!
Something about that word always makes me giggle! Anyway, back to the point- your buttonholes will be delivered alongside your bouquets and if one half of the wedding party is at a different location to the other, you'll need to make sure they get to the people who need them. Speak to your florist about two drop offs or assign someone to get these to the people who need them on the day. Perhaps this is a task for a nervous best man (pre speech nerves are real!) or a good excuse for a father of the bride to escape the hair and make up madness at bride HQ!
Think 'Lady Garden'
When walking down the aisle, all eyes will be on you- and your bouquet! Your bouquet wants to sit just above your bits so take a deep breath, drop those shoulders, relax your arms and tilt it forward for the best pics possible.
Remember the 'handover'
When you get to the altar and the ceremony begins, remember to pass your bouquet to your maid of honour before you start the vows - it saves an awkward fumble when you turn to face each other and realise you don’t have a free hand! Once the ceremony is over, that's your cue to take your bouquet back as you head off for your first pictures as a married couple.
Personalise your flowers
Every element of your day will be totally personal to you and there's no reason why your flowers should be any different. As someone with a family full of flower names, for us, Daisies and Roses were no brainers! For many couples, certain flowers will hold extra special meaning. Whether it's your favourite colour, a flower used in your grandmothers bouquet at her wedding or the flowers from the first bunch you bought each other, make sure to let your florist know if there's something particular you'd like to include.
Screw tradition
Having said all of this, there is absolutely no reason why you need to stick to 'traditional' wedding floral options. Dried bouquets in lieu of fresh mean you get to enjoy your flowers for months after the big day. 'Pick your own' flower farms offer an eco friendly, budget savvy option for couples without a super strict colour scheme. If you have a garden and a long enough run up to the wedding (and if you're more green fingered than I am!), you could even grow your own wedding flowers.
Daisy x
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